Volunteer Travel in Uganda – Episode 360

Hear about volunteer travel in Uganda as the Amateur Traveler talks to Shara Johnson about her experience volunteering at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center and her subsequent adventures exploring Uganda including an unheard-of solo trek to see the mountain gorillas.

Shara is keen on volunteer travel and found that she could work with the chimpanzees at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center which she found to be an excellent start for her trip. She actually lived on the zoo grounds. Volunteer travel is not free but she found it worthwhile although a lot of work. She spent a lot of time cutting up fruit. She made some friends there, especially 2 chimps named Nepa and Sara.

Not only did she get a chance to interact with some of the furry residents but she made local contacts that led to a less expensive and more unusual visit into this African country. She did couchsurfing in a mud hut at a rural school near Lake Bunyoni. This the day after splurging on a stay in the Queen Elizabeth National Park Hotel.

She also went chip tracking near Budongo Forest National Park which is much less expensive and easier to book than going to see the mountain gorillas. Add in a visit to Murchison Falls, an unexpected visit to a witch doctor, a visit to the crater lakes in the Rwenzori Mountains (Mountains of the Moon) and Shara created for herself a unique African experience.

right click here to download (mp3)
right click here to download (iTunes version with pictures)

Show Notes

SKJ Travel
Uganda pictures on SJK Travel
Uganda Wildlife Education Center
Gorilla Tracking
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Chimp Trekking
Entebbe International Airport
Murchison Falls National Park
Nile Special Beer

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